Location

About This Theatre

Christened the Alvin in 1927, the Neil Simon Theatre was renamed in 1983 to honor America’s most prolific playwright, following the successful engagement of Brighton Beach Memoirs, the first play of an autobiographical trilogy about his youth with his family. Fittingly, in 1985, the second play of Mr. Simon’s trilogy, Biloxi Blues, played there successfully. In 1992, Mr. Simon returned again with his play Jake’s Women.

Since 2000, the Neil Simon has been filled with music and dancing as the home to two of Broadway’s most popular productions, namely the acclaimed revival of The Music Man and the Tony Award–winning Best Musical Hairspray.

Policies

Dress CodeThere is no dress code at the theatre. For all performances, attire should be comfortable and appropriate for the occasion. The theatre is air-conditioned during the summer months.

Children
All persons entering the theatre, regardless of age, must have a ticket. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

Late Seating
There will be a strict late seating hold for those who are not in their purchased seat when the Act begins. For Act I, the hold is approximately 22 minutes. The hold for Act II is approximately 10 minutes. Patrons will be held in the promenade or upper lobby (depending on the seats purchased) in which the patron will be able to view the show on a monitor.

Amenities

Concessions
There is one bar located in the theatre’s lower lounge and one bar located on the mezzanine level where alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages as well as snacks can be purchased. Bottled water and beverages with secure tops are permitted in the auditorium. The bars begin serving patrons 30 minutes prior to the start of the performance and at intermission.

Nederlander Theatres do not permit outside food or beverages.

Patrons seeking to bring in their own food or drink because the food or drink is necessary for medical reasons shall be permitted to bring such food or drink into a theatre.

It is imperative for patrons to understand that not only do the theatres sell peanut-related products, it is impossible for any theatre to designate peanut-free seating zones since we cannot control what food products patrons may bring into the theatres.

Restrooms
Restrooms are located on the lower lounge and the Mezzanine level of the theatre.

Cloakroom
Cloakroom service is not available.

Parking

We are partnered with ParkWhiz to help our customers book parking in advance. ParkWhiz features hundreds of parking locations all over NYC at discounted rates. Book parking here before you head in for the show.

Security

Patron Security:For the protection of our patrons, theatre managers and private security personnel are on duty during all performances.

Bag Checks:
All bags will be inspected upon arrival. Luggage, shopping bags, and other large packages that will not fit comfortably with you at your seat will not be checked or allowed inside the theatre. For your convenience, please make other arrangements for these items before arriving.

Do not leave your personal bags (purses, backpacks) unattended while in the theatre.

For low vision/deaf and hard of hearing guests, accessible seats are available in the Orchestra Row B 2 – 8 and C 110-113.

There is no elevator or escalator to the mezzanine. The mezzanine is only accessible by using stairs.

The Neil Simon Theatre is committed to the needs of patrons with disabilities. For more details on policies or assistance purchasing accessible seating, please contact 212-757-8646 or [email protected].

Assisted Listening Devices

Originally built in 1927, the Alvin Theatre (rechristened the Neil Simon in 1983 and currently owned by the Nederlanders) opened auspiciously with Fred and Adele Astaire in Funny Face.

Recent productions here include the revival of Cats; The Illusionists; Gigi; The Last Ship; All the Way with Bryan Cranston; Big Fish; Scandalous; a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar; Catch Me If You Can; Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles; Harry Connick Jr. in Concert on Broadway; a revival of Ragtime; the Tony Award–winning best musical Hairspray; Elaine Stritch at Liberty; and The Music Man.

The 1990s saw The Scarlet Pimpernel; Swan Lake; A View From the Bridge; The King and I; The Rise and Fall of Little Voice; Cyrano: The Musical; Jake’s Women, starring Alan Alda; and Jackie Mason: Brand New.

The 1970s began with Company (six Tony Awards) and ended with Annie, which ran for 2,377 performances. In between, John Cullum picked up a Tony Award for Shenandoah.

During the 1960s, Anthony Perkins starred in Greenwillow; Lucille Ball made her Broadway debut in Wildcat; Zero Mostel won his second Tony in the hysterical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Beatrice Lillie appeared in her last Broadway show, High Spirits, a musical version of Blithe Spirit costarring Tammy Grimes and Edward Woodward; Liza Minnelli won a Tony Award for Flora, the Red Menace; “It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman” flew in and then out; Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead lived here; and Howard Sackler’s The Great White Hope earned Tonys for stars James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander.

Highlights of the 1950s included Claude Rains in Darkness at Noon; Shirley Booth in the musical version of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; Henry Fonda in Point of No Return; Bette Davis in Two’s Company; The Golden Apple; House of Flowers, the Truman Capote– Harold Arlen musical starring Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll; Andy Griffith and Don Knotts in Ira Levin’s No Time for Sergeants; and the musical Oh Captain!, starring Tony Randall and singer Abbe Lane.

Gems of the 1940s: Gertrude Lawrence and Danny Kaye in the dazzling Lady in the Dark; the Lunts and Montgomery Clift in There Shall Be No Night; Ethel Merman in Something for the Boys; Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Lorraine; and Henry Fonda in Mister Roberts.

The ’30s included The Boys From Syracuse; the premiere of Porgy and Bess; Helen Hayes in Mary of Scotland; and Merman in Red, Hot, and Blue (1936), Anything Goes (1934), and her Broadway debut, Girl Crazy (1930).

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